Detachable electrical connector



Aug. 28, 1956 A. w. FRANKLIN DETACHABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 1, 1952 INVENTOR ALBERT l4. FRANKU/V BYZ A ATTORNEY United States P O DETNCHABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Albert W. Franklin, Mount Vernon, N. Application Oc'toberl, 1952, Serial No. 312,557

3 Claims. cl. 339- 252 bulb of an all-glass picture tube. For purposes of de A tachably connecting this second anode to an external high-voltage energizing source, the all-glass picture tube has sealed through the wall thereof a female terminal in the form of a conductive cup with a fiaredbase portion and narrowed mouth portion. A similar terminal cup is conventionally provided on a flexible conductive strip mechanically secured in electrical contact with the metal shell of a metal picture tube.

The anode cup terminal last described has heretofore been used in cooperation with a detachable electricalconnector (connected to the high-voltage energizing source) usually having a snap fastener type of construction. This form ofconnector is constructed of several assembled partsand includes a cup-shaped conductive member with serrated sides forming a plurality of resilient fingers. which flex inwardly uponengagernent or disengagement oi the connector with the anode cup terminal. The process of forming this type of connector in one or more steps by a suitablemachine limits the material of the resilient fingers to one which is only three or four numbers hard. As a result the fingers are flexed in excess of their elastic limit upon the firstuse of the connector and become permanently deformed, the

amount of deformation increasing to such extent upon;

continued usage that the connector very soon loses its critical configuration required for a close firmfit with the anode cup terminal. This, of course, has the serious disadvantage that a firm low-resistance electrical connection is no longer possible, and the resultant resistance of the connection is both higher and of inconsistent valne.. The connection is then" subject to arcing with consequent burning of the terminal and contact materials, and may cause the undesirable creation of electrical interference and noise in the associated electrical apparatus with which the cathode-ray tube is used. This form of connector must be used in coaxial relation to the cup terminal, and any lateral strain on the connector tends to break the connection rather easily particularly after the resilient fingers have become deformed as above explained.

There is the further disadvantage, common to this and other similar forms of prior electrical connector, that it is difficult to construct the connector without exposed relatively sharp edges which if present are apt to cause corona discharges and the latter are known to be detrimental to the proper operation of the cathode-ray tube and associated apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved detachable connector which avoids one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of priorconnectors of the type described.

It is an additional object or the invention to provide a novel detachable electrical connector which is free from sharp edges and thus one having minimized tiid-' ency to generate corona discharges in high-voltage a'pplications.

n is an additional object ofthe invention to provide, a new and improved detachable electrical connector, which is characterized by a uniform and consistently? firm electrical contact with an associated terminal member over prolonged periods of usage and after hundreds of times of connecting ing it from a cooperating electrical cup terminal. 7

it is yet another object of the inventionto-provide a novel" detachable electrical connector er simple and inexpensive construction, and one which may be readily" fabricated on a wire spring forming machine of such simple construction and operation that desired chafigcs'l from time to time of one or more parameters of the connector ay be rapidly and cheaply accomplished.

For a better understanding ofthe present invention. together with other and further objects thereof, refer- 1 wing specification and the mice is made to the toll accompanying drawing in which: i v

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective view, partly cross-seca tioned, an electrical connector embodying" the present irivention';

Big. 2 is a side elevational view, and FtgJ-s a an,

view, of theconn'ecto-r; and

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the mannerin which theelfeif- A trical connector cooperates with an associated electrical cup terminal. i i i p Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, an electri cal connector embodying the present invention comprises Q a member 10 of resilient electrically conductive material such as suitably heat-tempered low-carbon steel (awn The. member It) is conveniently" formed by bending opera .tions' performed upon a single piece of wire and is" gener so-called music or piano wire is a good enarnp e.

ally of U-shapecl configuration having leg portions 10s and 1th.. a closed soldering loop 11' of open C shaped configuration diverging outwardly with an obtuse angle of being a representative value.

One end of an insulated conductofll is inserted through the soldering loop 11 and sold erekd inplace mechanicallyjand electrically to join the wire to the connector. A flexible sleeve 15" of insulating material (such as a seamless plastic tubing) may enclose all of the connector with the exception of the end portions 12 and 13, and may be fixedly secured in place by a Wire staple 16 projecting through and cni-mped upon opposing sides of the sleeve 15 to pull the sides together. Alternatively, the sides of the sleeve may be brought together and held by a suitable adhesive or the use of heat bonding or the like.

Fig. 3 shows more clearly the outwardly diverging configuration of the end portions 12 and 1.3. Fig. 4 illustrates the manner in which the connector detachably engages a cooperating anode cup terminal 18, of conventional configuration, which is hermetically sealed through the glass wall 19 of a cathode-ray tube in electrical engagement with the latters final or second anode 20 formed conventionally as a deposit of colloidal graphite.

Patented Aug, 28, .1956

the connector to and diseeanecje The latter are resiliently joined at one end by t and are" tern iinated' at their opposite ends in individual loops 12 and 13, conveniently tial,lateralf force against the sidesof the terminal 18..

Since the member 10v is formed as a wire bending operaand thuspertnits the .-use of a wire material. such as springsteel or beryllium copper having a large number of hardness, theleg portions 102. and 10b may be flexed many hundreds'fof times Without any sign of fiatigue' ordeformation. This fact ensures. consistently.

firman'd, adequately large engagingforce. of connection amt."

As willbe morefclearlyevide'nt from Figs. 4. and 5,

theroundedj C sh'ape'dloops. 12, and.13 of the connector pivgtally engage the anode 'cupl terminal 18 so that a consistently reliable'conneetion is made even though the connector .is pivo tedfrorn the position shown by solid lines Fig. to the'position indicated by broken lines or in operation is used at any offthese positions. Usually the connector willbe' used in'the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 5 so that any mechanical strain on the connector. will" be exerted longitudinally of the leg portions is'and 10b, thus'minimizing any tendency of. the strain.

to break the connection. The connector whenengaging true. over prolonged periods of operation and after repeated operations of making and breaking theconnec:

gr nj he above description 6f the inventio ngit. will be with con'se'que'nt low value of contact resistance even. aiterThundredsof times ofmaking and breaking connec- :i Cashaped cont-act engagement. loopseach lyingappr'oxi '30 the-anode cup terminal .18 from any angle provides a. firm electrical and mechanical connection, and this i apparent that a detachable electrical connector embody ing the invention is of simple and inexpensive construction; may be: of small and relatively, compact size, and is.

readily adaptable to mass scale production. .Neverthelessits'construotion is 'suc h as to provide aconsistently firm electrical and mechanical connection With extreme I ease of manual attachment or detachment. The connector being T essentially constructed of wire-stock materialis readily fabricated of a resilient material which does not'readily fatigue 'or d eform after countless attach-Q andf'deta'ching operations. ;Further, the construction of theconnector involves no sharp corners .thus, minimizing or avoiding anytendency of the connectorto produce coronal discharges. I The relatively simple configuration of the connector-enables it to be easily and readily. fabricated on a wire-springeforming machine so a that itst size and configuration may be easily. and cheaply, changed trom time to timefas desired without need for.

expensive and time consuming retooling and machine set-upoperations. L I r While there have been described what are at present considere'dvt o be the preferred. embodiments of the in; vention, it 'tvil l be apparent to those skilled in the art 4 that various changes and therein without departing from the invention. Consequently, the appended claims should be interpreted broadly, as may be consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A detachable electrical connector comprising a member of resilient electrically conductive material having spacedleg portions 'resilientlyjoined' at'one end for reduced-spacing fleXion during contact engagement manipulation, said 'leg'portions being terminated at their opposite ends in individual outwardly'flaring circular connector engagement loops each lying generally in a plane forming a substantial angle'with' the associated leg portion and adapted to provide a pivotal biased connector engagement with the inner walls of a generally cup-shaped electrical connector member.

2. A detachable electrical'connector comprising agenerally U-shaped member of. resilient electrically conductivemateri-al having spaced 'legportions resiliently-joinedat one end for reduced-spacingflexion during contact engagement manipulation, said leg portionsbeing terminatedat their opposite ends in individual generally matelyin a plane; forming 'asubstantial angle with the flexion. vof said-.leg portions duringcontact engagement manipulation,- theleg portions terminating in contact engagement sectionsflaring outwardly from the longitudinal References Cited file of this patent Q i Q UNITED STATES PATENTS? 31 ,929 'Smith Ma z'aj'rss's 699,455 l 1'9 02. 1,096,699 [1914 1,291,297 l l v 1919 1,386,831 v 1921 2,499,834 Phel Mar. 7,1950 2,517,677 Kjell-Berger ,Au 8, 1950:. 2 ,578,360 H 'Jubenville Dec. 1l-,' l9 5.1. 2,626,978 Coyle ,"Jan. 27, 1953 2,644,146 Dupre j June 30.1953

modifications may be made. 

